Naafiri Counters
The best Naafiri counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Vex, Yone, Akshan, Vladimir, Malphite. The best Naafiri counter is Vex, with Naafiri having only a 33.33% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Naafiri counter choices are Mel, Swain, Galio, Diana, Akali. Below are the top Naafiri counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
We Are More
Naafiri spawns packmates that attack the targets of her attacks and abilities.
Darkin Daggers
Naafiri hurls up to two daggers, each inflicting bleed, or each inflicting bonus damage if the target is already bleeding.
Packmates leap to attack the first champion or monster hit by this skill.Cost:- 55/
- 60/
- 65/
- 70/
- 75
Cooldown:- 9/
- 9/
- 8/
- 8/
- 7
Range:- 900
The Call of the Pack
Naafiri becomes Untargetable and empowers her pack, spawning additional packmates and gaining increased Move Speed and Attack Damage.
Cost:- 60
Cooldown:- 26/
- 24/
- 22/
- 20/
- 18
Range:- 400
Eviscerate
Naafiri dashes and damages enemies in an area around her, recalling her packmates and fully healing them.
Cost:- 35
Cooldown:- 11/
- 10/
- 9/
- 8/
- 7
Range:- 450
Hounds' Pursuit
Naafiri and her packmates dash at a champion, dealing damage. Naafiri reveals nearby enemies if she scores a takedown and can recast this Ability once. The second cast grants a shield.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 110/
- 95/
- 80
Range:- 900
- Assassin,
- Fighter
These champions are Naafiri's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Vex is Naafiri's biggest counter with only a 33.33% win rate for Naafiri. When facing these Naafiri counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Naafiri matchups.
Vex
Yone
Akshan
Vladimir
Malphite
Mel
Swain
Galio
Diana
Akali
When facing Naafiri in League of Legends, understanding Naafiri's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Naafiri deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Naafiri's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Naafiri include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Naafiri's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Naafiri counters are Vex, Yone, Akshan, and Vladimir. These champions either out-trade Naafiri in lane, have abilities that negate Naafiri's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Vex in particular exploits Naafiri's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Naafiri involves understanding Naafiri's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Naafiri when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Naafiri in team fights before Naafiri can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Naafiri to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Naafiri's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Naafiri's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Naafiri is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Naafiri may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Naafiri becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Naafiri is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Naafiri is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Naafiri in lane or team fights.
- Pick Vex or similar champions with kits that exploit Naafiri's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Naafiri's damage in lane
- Track Naafiri's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Naafiri's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Naafiri during vulnerable windows
- Group with teammates to deny Naafiri solo picks
- Place control wards in flanking positions to spot Naafiri's engages
Naafiri performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Xerath is Naafiri's best matchup with a 75% win rate. When playing Naafiri into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Naafiri can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Xerath
Twisted Fate
Katarina
Ahri
Syndra
Zoe
Kayn
Viego
Fizz
Yasuo
Naafiri Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Naafiri?
The best Naafiri counters are Vex, Yone, and Akshan. These champions have favorable matchups against Naafiri and can exploit Naafiri's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Naafiri's hardest counter?
Vex is Naafiri's hardest counter with Naafiri having only a 33.33% win rate in this matchup. Yone (33.8% WR) and Akshan (36.96% WR) are also strong Naafiri counters.
Who does Naafiri counter?
Naafiri performs well against Xerath, Twisted Fate, and Katarina. These are Naafiri's best matchups where Naafiri has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Naafiri in lane?
To beat Naafiri in lane, pick a counter champion like Vex or Yone. Focus on trading when Naafiri's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Naafiri's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Naafiri gains an advantage.
What items counter Naafiri?
The best items to counter Naafiri are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Naafiri's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Naafiri in lane.
When is Naafiri weakest?
Naafiri is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Naafiri's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Naafiri before Naafiri can set up fights on Naafiri's own terms.
How do I play Naafiri into counter matchups?
When playing Naafiri into counters like Vex, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Naafiri's counters?
If Vex, Yone, or Akshan are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Naafiri's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Naafiri's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.